2024-25 Jazz Etudes
Jazz Clinic Procedures
2024-25 Tennessee All-State East and All-State Jazz Prepared Music
(Students will prepare the etude excerpt(s), Improv over 2 choruses of F blues (Drum set plays grooves instead), and sight reading.)
Audition Excerpt List for All-East Jazz 2025 (Updated 9-15-25)
Students will prepare the excerpt of the etudes, sight reading, and F Blues ONLY (drumset grooves in place of F Blues).
IMPROV: F Blues – Play two (2) choruses. Backing tracks and lead sheets are linked below.
Blues In Concert F pdf
Blues in Concert F MP3
Jamey Simmons, Director of Jazz Studies at MTSU, and Joe Davidian, jazz piano instructor at MTSU, have provided the following informative videos to assist our students as they prepare the F Blues for their regional and All-State jazz auditions.
Video #2
DRUMSET: Will perform two (2) prepared pieces, plus sight-reading, plus styles (in place of improv). The styles are to be performed as follows:
- 8 measures of swing groove @ 220 followed by 8 measures of a swing groove with stylistically appropriate fills
- 4 measures of a basic funk/rock groove at 100 bpm followed by 8 measures of a funk/rock groove with stylistically appropriate fills
- 4 measures of a basic samba groove at 120 bpm followed by 8 measures of a samba groove with stylistically appropriate fills
Below is a PDF and a Spotify link to help with drum set:
Percussive Arts Society Spotify Playlist for Drummers
If a student is auditioning for All State, they will be expected to play the etudes in FULL, improvise over two choruses of F Blues AND one chorus of Bb Rhythm Changes, and sight read.
*All-State has eliminated their auxiliary percussion spot in favor of two (2) drumset positions for the All-State ensemble. The top two overall drumset scores from the audition will be offered the All-State auditions. The student must participate in All East Jazz Clinic to be eligible. If a student is unable to participate based on extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the jazz chair, they will retain their All State status.
